San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-02


Line in this Thing.
Editor LIGHT:
September /, 1887.
As there are so many unreasonable
words uttered relative TO the oolored
people going to California, | have tried to
lind out the real cause. l must say, IL 10
hard to tell after stumbling upon a few
stubborn facts, after reading very
carefully what some Of our popular
newspapers have to say. The colored
citizens are beginning very reluctantly
to accept the startling fact, that the old
saw rings Just the same. II these papers
had the nerve to speak OF the growth,
virtue and progress, made by the
negroes, they would encourage them.
Some people affect not to see that the
negro has made any progress since his
emancipation. In their eyes, he Ia
MANIFOLD worse of. The southern
negro has looked % long years for pro-
lection at the hands OF the people
among whom he has lived, moved and
still has his being. But In this partiou-
lar he has been somewhat disappointed.
know nothing Of any other section Of
our great country outside OF the south.
and there are but few things which bind
me to the land OF my nativity, among
WuICh thut Ciurs VI koth hIu
encial men who love the south
and are trying to educate the negro,
and otherwise better his condition,
against the solemn protest Of voters,
who seem not to know that the sue
cess OF our section Of this great country
depends upon the equal protection OF all
Its citizens. We can never grow law
abiding population while one class OF
offenders go unwhiped OF justice and
permitted to outrage the weaker class
at will. II ia too often the case, where
negroes are simply accused OF Grimes,
for which white men are excused, that
they are taken out OF the custody OF
peace officers, and murdered by what
ever method the oapricious mob may
suggest. Again, II he votes with the
democratic, republican, or green
back parties, or II, as was the
case, in the last campaign, he
votes for prohibition, or anti prohibition
to credit him with acting from his own
volition. This sccusing and excusing
spirit Is the bane OF society. 1t lays at
the root OF the tree OF liberty, watered
IS II is, by the blood of the noble sires
OF the 10Th century. Now, there are
many unoharitable things said concern
ing the present move among colored
people, and why? We ungrudgingly
admit that there are among us persons,
who are entirely too oredulOus, and can
be played upon. But, we must also ad-
NIT that contented communities never
migrate. And what ia true Of commu-
nifty, may be true OF an indlvid-
ual. The watch word OF the
negro must be to better his
own condition by every lawful means
within his grasp, II permitted. l would
here state for the benefit OF all con-
cerned that negroes are in some particu-
lars like their white neighbOrs. IL this
be true, why is 1t when a few negroes
gather up their buds and start out to
try their fortune In some contiguous sec
ton, the voice Of warning and lamenta-
ton is against him, when at the same
time thousands of our neighbors OF q
lighter hue oscilate from one side Of our
broad domain TO the other side without
being suspected Of any bad intention.
Are those who claim to be the colored
mans friends afraid to let him find by
experience what no one can now per-
suade him to believe. / am drifting
to the conclusion, that many, who have
sounded the keynote Of liberty, and have
shook the strings Of llberty's harp, do
not mean what they say about 1t. am
a friend and patron OF newspapers, both
secular and religious, but goodness
knows some Of them lean very remote
ly from the truth, and from their craters
send forth volumes of smoke, fire and
lava. IT, the stranger who come among
us, don't hate the negro, it is not their
fault. | am no advocate OF emigration,
but highly favor the idea Of letting the
negro try for himself, to gain his fortune
under any cline he may elect. am, for
the present, willing to risk my future In
the South. The writer may be sooffed
at, even chased out Of the land OF his
birth, but these undylng truths cannot
be so easily disposed Of Yours truly,
MACK HENSON.